The free event in Times Square — a symbol of the city's hustle and bustle — is held in celebration of the summer solstice. Sessions open to all skill levels were held throughout the day, with the midday slot appropriately reserved for practitioners of Bikram, also known as hot yoga.

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Photo: Matt Cardy/Getty Images

Meanwhile, a soggy summer solstice in England
Revelers gather at dawn to celebrate the arrival of summer on June 21 at Stonehenge near Salisbury, England.

Although North America spent the first day of summer heeding extreme heat advisories, conditions across the pond were quite different. Cloudy skies and rain met solstice observers in England, significantly reducing the attendance of the annual summer gathering at the 5,000-year-old stone circle.